Removal of contaminants from water is a ubiquitous challenge, and contaminants in produced water from oil and gas (hydrocarbon) extraction are particularly problematic. Disposal of contaminated produced water is a major expense of hydrocarbon extraction. However, reduction in levels of contamination in produced water can reduce expenses associated with disposal of produced water.
Currently, in the absence of cost-effective means for decontaminating produced water, hydrocarbon well owners and operators incur significant difficulty and expense in order to dispose of contaminated produced water, sometimes trucking the water to disposal locations relatively distant from hydrocarbon wells. Current methods of decontaminating produced water are typically ineffective or expensive.
Evaporation of produced water can be an effective means of disposal. However, natural evaporation tends to be slow, which necessitates large holding ponds, and also practically stops during cold weather. The evaporation can be hastened by heating or dispersing the water, but heating tends to be energy intensive, and dispersion can require that the water first be decontaminated.